Asthma cuts down the air flow in the lungs. This makes it hard to breathe and can cause chest tightness and wheezing. {Note: Other things can cause wheezing, too. Something may be stuck in the major airways, or there may be an infection. Always tell your doctor about wheezing, especially if your child is wheezing.}
Doctors call asthma an episodic disease because in most asthmatics acute attacks alternate with symptom-free periods. Asthma is a physical problem, not an emotional one (although stress, anxiety, or frustration can cause asthma to worsen), and it can be severe enough to disrupt people's lives. It is a complex disorder which needs to be treated by a doctor who can monitor the person's asthma over time.
A variety of triggers can set off asthma attacks:
Having an upper respiratory tract
infection or bronchitis
Breathing an allergen like pollen, mold,
animal dander, or particles of dust or smoke or other irritants
Eating certain foods or taking certain
medicines
Exercising too hard
Breathing cold air
Experiencing emotional distress
Asthma attacks range from mild to severe, so treatment varies. Generally, asthma is too complex to treat with over-the-counter preparations. A doctor should keep track of how you are doing.
He or she may prescribe one or more of these for your asthma:
Bronchodilators. These drugs relax the
muscles of the airways and open up the air passages in the lungs. This makes breathing
easier. There are many types. Some are inhaled. Some come in pill form. Some
can be given through an injection.
Anti-inflammatories. These drugs
help with the swelling in the airways. They are taken as oral pills or inhaled medicines.
Anti-leukotriene agents. These drugs help
reduce chronic inflammation. They are taken in oral form.
Peak flow meter for home monitoring of
asthma
Vaccinations for influenza (flu) and
pneumonia. (See Immunization Schedule)
Is it so hard for you to breathe that you can't
talk (say 4 or 5 words between breaths), or does your chest feel tight, or are you
wheezing and can't stop? |
 |
| Does your asthma attack not respond to home
treatment or prescribed medicine? |
 |
| Do you have signs of an infection such as fever,
and/or are you coughing up mucus that is green or yellow, or bloody-colored? |
|
| Are your asthma attacks coming more often or
getting worse? |
|
Asthmatics can do a number of things to help themselves.
Drink plenty of liquids (2-3
quarts a day) to keep secretions loose.
Find out what triggers your asthma, and get
rid of things that bother you at home and at work.
Make a special effort to keep your bedroom
allergen-free.
Sleep with a foam or cotton pillow, not a feather pillow.
Use a plastic cover on your mattress.
Wash mattress pads in hot water every week.
Use throw rugs, not carpeting.
Don't use drapes.
Vacuum and dust often. Wear a dust filter mask when you do.
Avoid using perfumes.
Don't smoke. Ask other people to not smoke
in your home. Try to stay away from air pollution.
Wear a scarf around your mouth and nose
when you are outside in cold weather. Doing so will warm the air as you breathe it in and
will prevent cold air from reaching sensitive airways.
Stop exercising if you start to wheeze.
Don't eat foods or take medicines that have
sulfites. Sulfites are in wine and many shellfish. They bother many people with asthma.
Sit up during an asthma attack. Don't lie
down.
Put an electronic air filter on your
furnace or use portable air purifiers.
Change and/or wash furnace and air
conditioner filters regularly. If you use a portable humidifier or vaporizer, use
distilled water, not tap water. Clean and dry the appliance after each use.
Keep your asthma medicine handy. Take it as
soon as you start to feel an attack.
Some people with asthma are allergic to
aspirin. Use acetaminophen instead.
HEALTH AT HOME - Your Complete Guide to Symptoms, Solutions, and Self-Care © 1999 by Don R. Powell. American Institute for Preventive Medicine.
Date updated 04/20/99